Mark Spencer (British politician)

Early life

Born in 1970, Spencer attended Lambley Primary School and the Colonel Frank Seely School in Calverton. He then qualified at Shuttleworth Agricultural College in Bedfordshire, before joining the family farm business. A former dairy farm, the business has developed and now employs around 50 local people, growing potatoes and vegetables and producing free-range eggs, beef and lamb. Spencer is a past chairman of the National Federation of Young Farmers' Clubs.

In 2001, Spencer fought his first Nottinghamshire County Council seat for Hucknall and in 2003 he won a seat on Gedling District Council representing Ravenshead and he retained this seat in 2007. In 2005 Spencer took the Nottinghamshire County Council seat of Calverton for the Conservatives and in 2009 retained his seat with an increased majority. In 2006 Spencer was appointed Shadow Spokesman for Community Safety & Partnership for Nottinghamshire County Council and he currently represents the electorate on the four Parish Councils; Ravenshead, Calverton, Woodborough and Lambley. In 2010 Spencer was elected as Member of Parliament for Sherwood by 214 votes. In this capacity he sits on the Government's 'Green Watchdog', the Environmental Audit Select Committee.

Spencer was a trustee of The Royal Agricultural Society of England and for a number of years was the Honorary Show Director of The Royal Show. Spencer is a past vice-Chairman of School Governors of Woodborough Woods Foundation School, where he was chairman of the Disciplinary Committee. As Chairman of the Lambley Playground Fund he helped raise over a £100,000 to provide new play equipment in the village and he is also trustee of the Core Centre Calverton, an Adult Education Centre.

Parliamentary career

Spencer won the Sherwood seat at the 2010 general election with a majority of 214.

In Parliament, Spencer served on the Environmental Audit Committee, the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee and briefly on the Backbench Business Committee. He currently serves as Parliamentary Private Secretary (PPS) to the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, Elizabeth Truss.

As a member of the Government's Green Watchdog he worked on environmental issues and energy security. Spencer also focuses on agriculture and rural communities and as a farmer is particularly interested in ensuring that British food production is recognised and promoted as "world class". He joined the Coalfield Communities All Party Parliamentary Group (APPG), whose aim is to restore the economies of former coalfield areas. Spencer was named the Brake Road Safety Parliamentarian of the Year 2011 for campaigning for improved road safety on the A614.

Spencer attracted criticism in early 2015 after suggesting that a man with learning difficulties who had been left without food or power after being sanctioned for arriving four minutes late at the benefit office should "learn the discipline of timekeeping". The Spectator criticised his response, suggesting his rush to defend government policy without showing concern for the constituent was an example of "political tribalism at its worst". Spencer said critics had "twisted what he said" but stood by his comments that "normal people doing normal jobs would get their wages docked".

The Daily Telegraph reported in August 2015 that Spencer, in a letter to a constituent, had suggested that Extremism Disruption Orders (EDOs) could be used against Christian teachers who tell schoolchildren that same-sex marriage is wrong. He wrote that whilst Christians with traditionalist views are "perfectly entitled to express their views", "The EDOs, in this case, would apply to a situation where a teacher was specifically teaching that gay marriage is wrong." Simon Calvert, Deputy Director of the Christian Institute, an evangelical pressure group, responded saying,"I am genuinely shocked that we have an MP supporting the idea of teachers being branded extremists for teaching that marriage is between a man and a woman."

Spencer was opposed to Brexit prior to the 2016 referendum.